


...And Into the Light

by bluetoast



Series: Angels and Ministers of Grace [10]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Awkwardness, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Couch Cuddles, Dinner, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Playful Sex, Rey Needs A Hug, Teasing, are we lovers or are we friends, get on with it, strange connections
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-31 20:08:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8591806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluetoast/pseuds/bluetoast
Summary: Dinner with the Phasmas is a little awkward; they want to know what's going on between Rey and Ben, but when the couple don't even know what the exact nature is, you can't really tell people. Back at the apartment, the two of them enjoy the rest of their night - in more ways than one.HC Bingo - Wild Card: Secret Identity Discovered





	

**Author's Note:**

> My first attempt at Star Wars porn. In case you're wondering, I've been in the MCU smut verse until now.

Rey wrinkled her nose in the mirror as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The blue and white stripped blouse and long blue polka-dotted wraparound skirt were two of the few 'dress up' items she owned. Most of her wardrobe was simply practical. One of these days she was going to head over to the Goodwill and expand her clothing – but it was rather like the boots and the coat; she had to make the time to go. She definitely wasn't going to go without having a list either. She opened her closet and drew out her black Mary-Jane heels, the only formal shoes she had. She was glad that the skirt was long enough that she could wear nude trouser socks instead of tights, but sadly, wasn't long enough for her to be able to wear her boots. Arya padded into the room and jumped on her bed, settling at the foot to watch her. 

“I don't suppose you have any idea where we'll be going for dinner, do you?” She asked loudly, hearing Ben moving in the main room. 

“Gwen called while you were in the shower. We're going to Jaipur's – it's an Indian place.” He answered, “ever had it?”

“No to both.” She replied, sitting down next to Arya to put her shoes on. “Isn't Indian food really spicy?”

“Not all of it. Thai food is hotter, the spice of Indian food, at least Northern India is more subtle, which is what Jaipur serves. That's the name of a city that's in Northern India.” Ben knocked on her half closed door. “Okay if I come in?”

“Sure.” She took a breath as the door opened wider. “I haven't really been out to eat since I left Texas. My freshman orientation class all went out for pizza our first week here, but other than that...” she finished with the buckle of her left shoe before moving onto the right. “So if Northern India is subtle heat, what's Southern India?” She glanced up.

“Thai food's gossipy cousin.” Ben laughed, leaning against the door-frame and she blinked. All he'd done was change from his usual jeans and a sweater to a pair of slacks and a button down shirt, but it changed his whole aura. “What?” He set a hand on his chin. “I cut myself shaving?”

“No.” She stood up, tugging the waist of her skirt so the hem wouldn't get caught by her shoes. “You look really nice.” 

“Thank you.” His eyes slowly looked her over, and he smiled. “You look beautiful. You should wear girls clothes all the time.” 

Rey grabbed a throw pillow off her bed and threw it at him. Much to her surprise, he caught it, laughing.

“I'm serious.” He came over to the bed, replacing the pillow and pressing a soft kiss on her lips, his hand holding her face. “You look wonderful.” He kissed her forehead. “Ready to go?”

“Is it six already?” She snapped on her watch, then picked up her phone. “What time do you have to be at work tomorrow?” She walked to the door, glancing back at Arya, who was still stretched out on the bed. 

“Noon.” Ben answered, flipping off the light. “No parties, Little Miss,” he said towards the cat and they walked over to the door. Instead of pulling on his coat, he took hers off its hook and held it out to her, holding onto the collar so she could slip it on. “You?”

“I have tomorrow off – I don't have another shift until Thursday, unfortunately. So I can get the rest of my work done. I'm going to try and finish up as much of it as I can.” She slid her arms into the sleeves. “Thank you.” It was kind of weird to have someone do that with a coat.

“You're welcome.” He put on his own coat, then gathered up his keys, wallet and phone from the table next to the couch. “I have an overnight shift on Tuesday, then another on Thursday.” He turned off the light and they went out into the hallway, and he locked the door behind them. “So I'm in for a long week starting tomorrow.” 

Rey went over and hit the button for the elevator. “Well, I'll make sure to feed Arya for you.” The doors clanked open, and they found Gwen and Leslie inside. “Hi.”

“Good evening.” Gwen spoke first as they got inside. The woman was insanely tall and the heels made her taller. She reached over and ruffled Ben's hair like he was her little brother. “I've had to put up with Leslie bouncing off the walls because of you.” 

“Oh come on.” Leslie interjected as the elevator started down. “I seem to recall having to pull you off the ceiling several times during the World Series.” 

“The whole city went insane.” Rey stated. “I was just sort of lost a sea of blue, wondering if it was safe to wear my orange Astros shirt.” 

Ben was busy trying to put his hair back in order. “You're safe in any baseball team's gear in Chicago, as long as it's not the Cardinals or the Tigers.” He answered as they reached the ground floor. “Which is why I can wear my Red Sox shirts unscathed.” 

“From Houston then?” Gwen asked her, smiling.

She nodded. “Born and raised, but in all my dreams of coming to Chicago for college, I kept forgetting the part about frigid winters. Hence the reason for my coat being overlarge. It's warm, that's all that matters.”

“Oh, and she has common sense.” the tall woman replied, then turned. “Ben, I like this one.” 

“We're not dating.” Rey interjected before Ben could. “We're roommates.” It was mostly true – she and Ben _weren't_ dating, they hadn't even talked about that. They were, well, she didn't know _exactly_ what they were, but roommates was enough of the truth to use as an explanation. When she glanced up at Gwen, she saw the slight twitch of the older woman's lips; she didn't entirely buy her words, but wasn't going to comment. The elevator came to a stop and they headed out into the lobby, and she braced herself at the rush of cold air as Ben opened and held the door for the three of them. Sometime between her walk and now, someone had come by and cleared the walkway, adding another layer of salt to the pavement. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask if they were walking to the restaurant, but instead, she and Ben followed the older pair across the road and into the parking garage that was opposite the apartment building. 

“I'm parked on the second tier.” Leslie stated, casting a look over at her wife. “I refuse to drive that tank of yours.” 

“It makes short work of snow.” the woman sniffed. “If we ever need to flee the city, we're taking my SUV.” 

Ben shot Rey a smile. “Give the two of us a ride out of town in the zombie apocalypse and you can stay with us on my uncle's farm.” He chuckled. “Technically, since you declared yourself my cousin in June, that makes you family.” 

“What happened there?” Rey muttered to Leslie. 

“Oh, they wouldn't let anyone but family into the ICU to see Ben after his accident. I told the nurse I was his cousin on his father's side.” the blonde woman said airily. “Han Solo certainly wasn't going to show up and deny it.” They started up the stairs in the parking garage. “Where the hell was he anyway, Ben? I never found out.” 

“Northern Norway, up by the Arctic Circle.” He answered. “Absolutely no cell-phone service.” Rey saw the slightest flicker in his eyes. “It doesn't matter, most of June has been lost in a pain-killer haze.” She reached over and grabbed Ben's hand, giving it a squeeze. “I haven't talked to him since September.” 

“I've never had Indian food.” She wanted to get the subject of Ben's parents _fast._ “What's good?”

Leslie beamed back at her. “All of it's good, just don't let yourself fill up on naan, no matter how wonderful you think it tastes.”

“Naan?” She frowned.

“Unleavened bread.” Ben offered as they came up to a dark green sedan. “And unfortunately, Jaipur's naan is addictive.”

*

It was warm inside the restaurant – just the shades of orange of the décor made you feel warm just by looking at it. Ben had only been in the place a handful of times, usually with his grandma for an early birthday celebration. He glanced over the top of his menu at Rey, her face a shade above white. He looked over at Leslie, who'd also noticed the wretched complexion of the youngest member of their party. It was Gwen who broke the uncomfortable silence.

“What looks good to you, Rey? I'm partial to the shrimp vindaloo.” Her tone was light; and Ben knew full well she knew what his roommate's issue was. “If you're looking for beef, they don't serve it.” 

“If you're going to eat that, you're sleeping on the couch tonight.” Leslie muttered, “Or using a double round of Listerine before bed.” She turned to Rey, who, if it were possible, had gone even paler. “Have you ever had lamb, honey?”

“Uh...” She shot a look at him, then took a drink of water, “No. I think I'll just have some soup...” She looked back down.

“Nonsense.” The woman gave her another smile. “How about you let me choose for you? You don't have any allergies, do you?

Ben reached across under the table and gave Rey's knee a soft squeeze, causing her to look up, and he gave her a slight wink. “It's okay.” 

“No, no I don't have any allergies.” She glanced back down at the menu, a little less pale. “Just nothing too spicy, please.” She took another drink of water, smiling. 

The waiter returned to their table, setting down two baskets of naan. “Do you need a little more time to look at the menu?” His English was heavily accented. 

“I believe we're ready, aren't we?” Gwen looked them all over, and Ben saw Rey nod out of the corner of his eye. Once the meal was ordered and they all had a portion of naan, it was she who once again broke the silence. “So you two...” she looked the pair of them over, throwing a smirk at Leslie. “You're not dating?”

“No, we're not dating.” Ben had the urge to put his hand back on Rey's knee. It wasn't a total lie, and besides, Rey had already stated back in the elevator that they were _roommates._ He didn't know if there really was a word for what they were – because roommates suddenly seemed horribly inadequate and yet, here they were. “Unless occasionally having meals together in the apartment counts as dating.”

Rey pulled her piece of naan in two. “If it does, then the cat's also in the relationship.”

“Arya's practically Ben's baby, for all he fusses over it.” Leslie took a drink from her glass of wine. “and, according to his cousin Anna, that cat spent several hours of the day calling out for him while he was in the hospital.”

He felt his ears go pink. “Says the woman with a corgi that thinks it's a Great Dane while she thinks it's a Pomeranian.” 

Rey rested her head against her hand, looking over at him. “I know I include myself in this, but do you know any – normal – girls Ben? That aren't your cousins?”

He smirked. “My cousins aren't normal. But in answer to your question, yes. Yes I do know a normal girl.” He took a drink of water. “Her name is Jen, but is now better known as Sister Flora of the Daughters of Charity.” He ripped his piece of bread apart. “We never dated either, we merely went to all the dances and whatnot of high school as friends, but to anyone not in our circle of friends, yes, we were dating.”

“Your pseudo-girlfriend from high school is now a nun.” Leslie threw her hands up. “Gwen, did you know about this?”

“Of course I did. That overgrown golden Labrador puppy called Nathan told me all about it.” She smiled over her wine glass at him. “Speaking of, how is he?”

“Getting married in August.” He picked up his own glass of water. “I may need to engage a cat-sitter for Arya.” 

Rey chuckled. “You mean this overgrown puppy dog has a puppy dog friend?” She shot a grin at him. “So if this Nathan's a golden Lab, what are you?”

“With that hair?” Gwen grinned, “He's an Afghan hound, of course.”

Ben felt his ears go pink; and he stuffed a large bite of bread into his mouth. It'd been a while since anyone called him a puppy. 

*

Rey held the take-home containers as Ben unlocked their door. She'd barely made a dent in her lamb vindaloos, and he'd eaten only about half of his goat curry. Gwen and Leslie had insisted that they take all the rice, and she knew well enough not to try and object to the pair. She'd been going over a great deal of the evening's conversation in her mind, and it kept going back to the two names that had cropped up in connection to Ben's past; Nate and Jen. This past summer, she could remember waiting a table at Chili's –and Finn and Poe both mentioning making a donation at work to someone in Chicago.

Her friends, both believers in karma, had donated a total of fifteen dollars on the infinitesimal chance that someday, that stranger would be there when she needed help in this huge city of nearly three million people.

And karma had come calling without her even realizing it. 

Ben pushed open the door, flicking the light on as she came in behind him. “You okay? You've been quiet since we got in the car.” 

“I believe that might be the most socializing I've done since Orientation Week.” She gave him a smile and ducked past him, going to put their leftovers in the fridge. She could hear him locking the door behind them. “It might also be the time spent in heels, when I'm used to closed shoes.”

“I suppose that makes sense.” He answered, and she heard him taking off his coat. “Given that I've never worn heels, I can't sympathize, but I imagine it's a bit like wearing closed shoes after a summer of sandals.” 

“Maybe.” She opened the fridge and set the two containers inside. As she closed the door, she noticed the card stuck under a magnet that hadn't been there this morning when she'd cleaned up the kitchen. She recognized the couple instantly; there was no way she could forget the guy who left her enough in tips in the two times she served him at Chili's to pay her bus fare. “So this is your friend Nate?” She called out and pulled off her coat. 

“On the fridge?” Ben answered. “Yeah.” She heard him come up behind her. “Do you know if you're staying in Chicago for the summer yet?”

She shuffled past him to hang up her coat, noting that he'd plugged in the Christmas tree, the multi-colored lights twinkling. “Depends on if I can find a better job, or a second one. If I go back to Houston, I could leave some things here, yes?”

“Of course.” He answered, a soft hitch in his voice. “I don't think I'm moving out of here anytime soon.” 

Rey hung up her coat and tucked her gloves into the pockets, and remembered their conversation from earlier today. She might as well tell Ben that she had already met Nate. Sort of. “You want to hear something nearly as crazy as our two photographs of our grandparents?” She turned to see him sitting down on the couch, rubbing absently at his knee.

He chuckled. “Tell me and I'll decide just how crazy it is.” 

She ran a hand through her hair, suddenly feeling sheepish. “I sort of know your friend Nate. He came into the restaurant where I worked back in Houston.” 

Ben's eyebrow lifted and then his whole expression widened. “ _You're_ three buns Rey?”

She giggled, covering her mouth, remembering her default hairstyle for the summer. One she hadn't worn since coming to Chicago. “I was working three jobs – I used that hair-do to hide how long my hair was going between washings.” She came over to the couch, “I think I still have the business card he gave me the night he proposed to... ah, what's her name....” 

“Meghan.” He wrapped an arm around her as she sat down, pulling her against him. “That tells me that you worked at Chili's – because that's where the two of them had their first date. A blind one, set up by one of Meghan's coworkers, the place arranged because they both love to eat there.” 

She unbuckled her shoes and toed them off along with her trouser socks before curling them up next to her, the long skirt keeping her feet warm. “This gets crazier because your friend Nate left me enough in his tips to pay for my bus ticket.” She shifted so she could see his face, resting her elbow on the back of the couch, and her head on her hand. “And then there's your connection to Finn and Poe via Gwen.” 

Ben paused, then chuckled. “The GoFundMe she did while I was in the hospital.” 

“Yeah. Guess there's some interconnections in the world of baseball, since my friends worked at Minute Maid Park, and well...” she went slightly pink. “The two of them are strong believers in karma, especially Finn. They donated on the thought that someday, the stranger in Chicago would be there when I needed help.” 

“What makes that more insane than the photographs is that it has actually happened.” He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. “I think what you call us is karma deciding to redefine serendipity, but forgetting that we're both next to synonyms of stubborn in the dictionary.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Miss Persistent.” 

“Mr Steadfast.” She reached out and set her hand against his scarred cheek, the tips of her fingers making contact with his ear, causing him to inhale sharply. “Is something wrong?”

“No.” His arm came around her waist and pulled her into his lap, her knees resting against his hips. “This okay?”

Rey nodded and leaned forward, pressing her lips against his. She slid her fingers into his hair as the kiss deepened, the tip of Ben's tongue tracing her mouth, one of his hands firmly on the small of her back. He pushed her forward slightly and she could feel his cock straining against the closure of his pants. She broke away, resting her forehead against his. “You want to move to the bed?” 

“Here's perfect.” He kissed her chin, smiling up at her as his hands came around to her front, slowly unbuttoning her blouse, his fingers slipping under the fabric as he worked his way down, then bringing up his hands to pull the garment off of her shoulders when he was finished, dropping it next to her shoes on the floor. “Okay?”

She nodded, leaning forward to kiss him again as his hands slid down her back, one stopping to unhook her bra and the other started tugging on the knot of fabric at her hip, working her skirt open. She moved her arms so she could drop her bra to join her shirt, pressing another kiss to his neck. “Class on Monday is going to be awkward.” 

He chuckled as he finally undid the tie of her skirt, slipping it off of her with some ease and she shivered in the coolness of the apartment. “If you're too distracted, I'll give you a private session in your studio.” He pressed her back against his waist, and she undulated against him, moaning softly. “Would you like that?”

“I may ask for one regardless.” She pulled back and moved her hands to the waistband of his pants, making short work of the belt and the closure of the garment. “You're wearing too many clothes.” 

“Am I?” He moved his hands to help her remove his pants, lifting his hips to slip off his pants and boxers at the same time. “Are you cold?”

“A little.” She settled against him as he kicked his pants towards her clothes, feeling one of his hands settle on her hip and the other slid between her legs, the tip of his cock pressing against her navel. “Though I think I may be warm soon.”

“Will you?” He whispered, his hand starting to stroke her, causing her to whimper. “You're so wet, Rey.” Two fingers slipped inside of her, but he didn't move them, and she moved against his hand, frustrated. “Barely even touched you and you're already soaking.” 

“You tease.” she shifted in his lap, spreading her legs wider. “Please...”

“Please what, Rey?” He slid his fingers in and out of her almost languidly. 

She moved so she was on her knees, her hands pressed against the wall, her face even with his. “You want me to say it?” She let out a yelp as he gave her a series of rapid thrusts, causing her right hand to slip and hit the light-switch, leaving them cast only in the colored lights. 

“You okay?” He raised one hand to her cheek, the other, the one that had been inside of her resting on her hip.

“Uh huh.” She set her forehead against his, her lower lip trembling. “Ben...” She slipped a hand between them and carefully ran the head of his cock against her entrance, and she heard him moan. “Please, Ben...”

“Sweet Rey.” He shifted slightly under her they both moaned as he slid into her quim, her legs trembling against his. “Still so tight,” he pressed his hand to the small of her back, pushing her closer to him, and his cock deeper. “I love how tight you are.” He breathed against her ear as his hands came up to her breasts, thumbing her nipples as he began to thrust up against her.

She groaned against his ear as he filled her, her hips starting to rock in time with his, frustrated and delighted at the slowly steady pace. She slipped her tongue out to trace the shell of his ear and she felt the tremor in his hips as she did. “Something wrong?”

“No.” He found his rhythm once more, his cock still moving at that maddening slow pace that made her squirm. “Do that again.” He gasped out, his fingers tugging on her nipples.

Rey let her tongue move over his ear, and heard his sharp intake of breath as she closed her mouth around the lobe, sucking on it leisurely. She wasn't quite certain just what it did to him, but judging from the movement of his hips, she wasn't going to stop. 

*

Ben spat out the last of his mouthwash, not certain if he would find Rey waiting in his room or not. Before they parted ways on the couch, he told her she could sleep wherever she wanted, and he would accept her choice. He ran the water in the sink to clean it and then turned out the light, making his way in the semi-dark hallway into his room. He smiled at the sight of the young woman curled up on the side of the bed nearest the door, the light around the blinds illuminating the room just enough so he could get around to the other side of the bed and slip under the covers. “You asleep?”

“No.” She answered, sounding far more awake than she had for most of the day. “We agreed today to be honest with each other, yes?” 

He slipped closer to her, setting his hand on her back, rubbing it in small circles over her night shirt. “Yes.” He felt her turn and his hand came to rest on her waist. “What is it?”

Rey tucked her hands under her cheek, looking at him. “I don't know how these things work. Relationships, that is. I mean, I don't have much by way of example, mostly books and watching other people I know. I don't know what _we_ are, because the whole boyfriend girlfriend thing... sort of sounds childish.” She leveled her gaze at him. “And I'm not a child.” 

Ben let out a breath. “I know you're not. I'm not good with relationships. I've only dated one other person with the actual intent of it being a relationship and not merely be friends, and it ended horribly.” He swallowed. “So here I am, just as uncertain.” He bit at his bottom lip. “You're not...” He closed his eyes and counted to ten before opening them and asking the next question. “You're not regretting that whatever it is we have turned physical as quickly as it did, are you?”

“I don't regret us having sex.” Rey smiled, faintly. “I just... I think it's just that it's changed whatever we could have been, so now we have to figure out what we are, and how it works.” 

He pressed his face into the pillow to repress a snort. “We're stubborn, we have issues and we like complicated things.” 

She let out a chuckle. “Pick up a thousand piece puzzle at work tomorrow. We'll work on it together and work out what we are while we do.” 

“Why don't we start with a seven-hundred and fifty, go from there?” He smiled at her then slowly lowered the hand on her waist, skimming it down over her hip and onto her thigh. “Are you tired?”

“A little.” She ran a hand up the arm on her leg. “I'm not ready to sleep just yet.” She pulled him closer, pressing a kiss against his lips. “It's not that late, is it?”

He chuckled and glanced across the room to the clock. “Quarter to ten.” He turned back to her, a slow smile spreading across his face as he slid his hand up under the hem of her shirt, frowning when he didn't encounter something he'd expected. “Rey, are you wearing panties?”

Even in the dark, he could see her blush. “No.” 

Ben leaned down and kissed her, the tip of his tongue just barely touching her lips, and could feel his cock slowly start to harden as his hand started to pull up her shirt. “Well, I guess it's a good thing then that I'm not wearing boxers.” He wasn't going to mention that he usually slept commando. She lifted her arms so he could take her shirt of and he felt her foot tugging on the leg of his pajama pants. He moved quickly so she was pinned under him, both of her wrists in one of his hands. 

“Ben...” Her breathing was short and quick, but her expression was calm, the tip of her tongue darting out for the briefest moment. 

He leaned down, kissing her neck. “I want to make you fall apart, Rey. Over and over until we collapse naked and exhausted.” 

She let out a breathy gasp. “I think the people in sixteen-a might have an issue with the noise.” 

He chuckled. “Sixteen-A left for a month in their timeshare in Hawaii on Tuesday.” He let go of her wrists, rising up on his arms over her. “And if you're worried about the floor above, I've heard them going at it enough times that it'd be payback.” 

Rey let out a strangled sound that might have been a laugh; but it was cut off as he pressed his mouth to hers, his hands clasping hers as he pressed her into their bed.

**Author's Note:**

> Rey's outfit for dinner: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/201184308330305901/


End file.
